Casa da Guia

You can shop, have lunch, drink tea, sunbathe and pick plants for your garden in a 19th century palace. The palace in question is known as Casa da Guia. Located right above the ocean, it is one of those spots where you can spend a whole afternoon and never get bored. Casa da Guia was built in 1895 by D. José Saldanha Oliveira e Sousa de Rio Maior, and left in his will it to his daughter Maria Teresa, who lived there with her whole family until1973. Nowadays, the palace is open to the public, both the mansion and the gardens, and it functions as a shopping centre and restaurant hub. Inside are a series of shops catering mostly to a female crowd: Engy, a decoration store that also has clothing and accessories; Mia Fit, a new fitness apparel store with bathing suits and bikinis; or Harajuku, which sells women’s fashion from various international brands. Outside, with plenty of dining tables next to the wall with Casa da Guia a great view of the sea, you will find the restaurants. For carnivores, there’s Prazeres da Carne and Dom Grelhas; Confeitaria da Guia is great for breakfast or a light meal; Jammin has excellent grilled sandwiches and its espressos are very popular. You can also eat at several food kiosks, with Hot Dog Fusão the major highlight; Messias also deserves a recommendation for its wines. Beyond lots of room to breathe fresh air and run around, kids have a fully equipped playground to play in. Last but not least, this is where you will find the amazing Viveiros Vítor Lourenço, where you can shop for any kind of trees, herbs, flowers and anything else you might need to either fill a flowerpot in your balcony or plant Versailles-sized gardens.